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The squares and streets of Salzburg, Austria, come alive with the sound of Christmas music during the festive holiday season. In Cathedral and Residence squares, you’ll find stalls, shops and street performers.9601280

The squares and streets of Salzburg, Austria, come alive with the sound of Christmas music during the festive holiday season. In Cathedral and Residence squares, you’ll find stalls, shops and street performers.

www.austria.info

Christmas in Salzburg, Austria

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The musical town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and setting for The Sound of Music, celebrates the Christmas season with plenty of music and carols amid the festive holiday shopping.9601280

The musical town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and setting for The Sound of Music, celebrates the Christmas season with plenty of music and carols amid the festive holiday shopping.

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The Cologne Christmas Market showcases 160 wooden stalls, helmed by merchants selling wares such as classic holiday ornaments, wooden decorations and children's toys, as well as plenty of snacks and warm, spiced wine.9601280

The Cologne Christmas Market showcases 160 wooden stalls, helmed by merchants selling wares such as classic holiday ornaments, wooden decorations and children's toys, as well as plenty of snacks and warm, spiced wine.

Hannah Swithinbank, flickr

Prague's Old Town Square

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Prague's Old Town Square is home to the city’s annual Christmas market, complete with an illuminated tree -- the centerpiece of plenty of holiday cheer that runs from late November through the first days of the New Year.9601280

Prague's Old Town Square is home to the city’s annual Christmas market, complete with an illuminated tree -- the centerpiece of plenty of holiday cheer that runs from late November through the first days of the New Year.

Reuters

Prague Christmas

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Prague's wooden stalls bring Bohemian crystal, wooden toys and tasty food to the masses, plus the chance to pet a few live animals like these hungry llamas.9601280

Prague's wooden stalls bring Bohemian crystal, wooden toys and tasty food to the masses, plus the chance to pet a few live animals like these hungry llamas.

Reuters

Dresden's Christmas market, the Striezelmarkt

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Dresden's Christmas market, the Striezelmarkt, has been a holiday tradition since 1434, making it Germany's oldest Christmas fair. Check out market’s centerpiece attraction -- the world's tallest Christmas candle pyramid, more than 45 feet tall.9601280

Dresden's Christmas market, the Striezelmarkt, has been a holiday tradition since 1434, making it Germany's oldest Christmas fair. Check out market’s centerpiece attraction -- the world's tallest Christmas candle pyramid, more than 45 feet tall.

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Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt is a grand affair that beckons nearly 2 million visitors annually from around the world, many of them children ready to enjoy the festival rides and tasty snacks.9601280

Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt is a grand affair that beckons nearly 2 million visitors annually from around the world, many of them children ready to enjoy the festival rides and tasty snacks.

Nuremberg Tourism; Uli Kowatsch

Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt

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Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt takes place in the city’s Main Market Square. As one of the largest Christmas markets in Germany, the event features some 180 booths selling Christmas goods such as mulled wine, spicy gingerbread and roast sausages.9601280

Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt takes place in the city’s Main Market Square. As one of the largest Christmas markets in Germany, the event features some 180 booths selling Christmas goods such as mulled wine, spicy gingerbread and roast sausages.

Nuremberg Tourism; Uli Kowatsch

Copenhagen Christmas at Tivoli Gardens

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Copenhagen hosts a Christmas market with a twist at the city's famous Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest amusement park in the world.9601280

Copenhagen hosts a Christmas market with a twist at the city's famous Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest amusement park in the world.

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Wiener Christkindlmarkt Travel to Vienna, Austria, to explore the Wiener Christkinlmarkt. This traditional Christmas market, located in City Hall Square, has 145 stalls selling spiced wine, gingerbread, unique arts and crafts and much more.9601280

Wiener Christkindlmarkt Travel to Vienna, Austria, to explore the Wiener Christkinlmarkt. This traditional Christmas market, located in City Hall Square, has 145 stalls selling spiced wine, gingerbread, unique arts and crafts and much more.

Wiener Christkindlmarkt

Christmas Mariachi Festival

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Christmas Mariachi FestivalMariachi bands heat things up in Phoenix, AZ, during the holidays. This annual festival features the best, well-known mariachi singers and bands from Latin America, including Jose Feliciano and Vikki Carr.9601280

Christmas Mariachi FestivalMariachi bands heat things up in Phoenix, AZ, during the holidays. This annual festival features the best, well-known mariachi singers and bands from Latin America, including Jose Feliciano and Vikki Carr.

Christmas Mariachi Festival

Miami's White Party Week

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White Party Week Experience the Miami Beach lifestyle, and enjoy good food and drink during 6 days of all-male and all-female parties, including the Women’s White Party Weekend. Party-goers spend money that goes to Care Resource, a organization that funds multiple HIV/AIDS programs.9601280

White Party Week Experience the Miami Beach lifestyle, and enjoy good food and drink during 6 days of all-male and all-female parties, including the Women’s White Party Weekend. Party-goers spend money that goes to Care Resource, a organization that funds multiple HIV/AIDS programs.

R. Davis, Care Resource

Chicago's Magnificent Mile Festival of Lights

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Magnificent Mile Festival of LightsIf you’re visiting Chicago during the holidays, check out this illuminated festival. It’s known for its holiday-inspired store window displays, and its star-studded Disney procession on opening day. Be sure to get a front row seat to see the parade, live music and fireworks.9601280

Magnificent Mile Festival of LightsIf you’re visiting Chicago during the holidays, check out this illuminated festival. It’s known for its holiday-inspired store window displays, and its star-studded Disney procession on opening day. Be sure to get a front row seat to see the parade, live music and fireworks.

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Key West Sushi DropCelebrate your New Year’s Eve in Key West, watching a campy, extravagantly dressed drag queen being lowered from the Bourbon Street Pub, in a large, red, high-heel shoe. Once the drag queen has dropped, ring in the New Year at the fabulous block party.9601280

Key West Sushi DropCelebrate your New Year’s Eve in Key West, watching a campy, extravagantly dressed drag queen being lowered from the Bourbon Street Pub, in a large, red, high-heel shoe. Once the drag queen has dropped, ring in the New Year at the fabulous block party.

Reuters

Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival

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Harbin International Ice and Snow FestivalIt’s 1 of the largest ice festivals in the world, and it attracts 1,000s of people to Northeastern China, to see snow carvings, ice sculptures, fireworks. There’s also skiing, ice sliding and swimming, for those who can take the chilly, subzero dip in the Songhua River.9601280

Harbin International Ice and Snow FestivalIt’s 1 of the largest ice festivals in the world, and it attracts 1,000s of people to Northeastern China, to see snow carvings, ice sculptures, fireworks. There’s also skiing, ice sliding and swimming, for those who can take the chilly, subzero dip in the Songhua River.

Reuters

Taste of Christmas

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Taste of ChristmasThis annual event in London has the UK’s leading chefs demonstrate their techniques for holiday food preparation. There are also special tasting workshops for wine, cheese and chocolate.9601280

Taste of ChristmasThis annual event in London has the UK’s leading chefs demonstrate their techniques for holiday food preparation. There are also special tasting workshops for wine, cheese and chocolate.

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Pink Christmas Hit the ice skating rink donned in gay apparel. Amsterdam’s Pink Christmas festival is a special holiday celebration for the LGBT community. Some of the events and activities include ice skating at Rembradtplein, a catwalk fashion show on Zeedijk Street and discounts at local gay bars and shops.9601280

Pink Christmas Hit the ice skating rink donned in gay apparel. Amsterdam’s Pink Christmas festival is a special holiday celebration for the LGBT community. Some of the events and activities include ice skating at Rembradtplein, a catwalk fashion show on Zeedijk Street and discounts at local gay bars and shops.